Staying in Town? There’s Plenty to Do!
It’s Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of summer. Many DMV residents will being their weekly summer treks to the Delmarva beaches. That means miles-long backups at the Bay Bridge in Annapolis as you try to get out of town. Others will hit the pools and fire up the grills. But for those of us stuck in town and without a pool, there’s still plenty to do this weekend.
Green Line trains will operate at regular intervals throughout the weekend. Red Line trains will operate every 20 minutes between Shady Grove and Glenmont with trains running every 10-12 minutes between Grosvenor and NoMa-Gallaudet between 9a.m.-9 p.m.. On Saturday and Sunday, Orange, Silver, Blue and Yellow line trains will operate every 24 minutes. On Monday, Orange and Silver line trains will operate every 15 minutes, while Blue and Yellow line trains will run every 18 minutes. On Memorial Day, trains will operate on a Sunday schedule from 7 a.m.-midnight.
Preisdent Obama lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier during the 2014 Memorial Day ceremony.
(Photo: Lawrence Jackson/White House)
National Memorial Day Observance
The annual National Memorial Day Observance to honor America’s fallen military members includes a prelude concert by the U.S. Marine Band in the Arlington National Cemetery Memorial Amphitheater at 10:30 a.m. There will be a Presidential Armed Forces full honor wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at 11 a.m. followed by an observance program in the amphitheater. Seating in the amphitheater is first come, first served and space is limited to standing room only at the wreath laying ceremony. Gates will open at 8 a.m. Attendees will be required to pass through a security checkpoint to gain access to the amphitheater for the official program. Large bags and backpacks, firearms and weapons of any type, laser pointers, aerosol containers, soda cans, umbrellas, coolers, picnic baskets, tripods, lighters, personal protection sprays, insulated beverage containers are prohibited.
May 25 beginning at 10:30 a.m. at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington. Admission is FREE! Free parking is available all day in the Welcome Center parking lot. A free shuttle service will provide transportation from the Welcome Center to the Memorial Amphitheater. Walking to the amphitheater is prohibited.
Maryland Deathfest
A band performs at last year’s Maryland Deathfest.
(Photo: returntothepit.com)
For DMV metalheads, the annual Maryland Deathfest, which takes place in three venues around Baltimore, is the biggest – and loudest – event of the year. The concept is simple: bring the best and most extreme bands the underground has to offer to the U.S. Never conforming to trends, or being limited by genre restrictions, MDF is a showcase of what extreme music, both new and old, is capable of. With an emphasis on diversity, the festival brings together the very best death metal, grindcore, doom, thrash, hardcore, black metal and experimental bands from all around the world. This year, more than 90 bands will perform. Noteworthy acts include Finnish metal band Amorphis, Japanese noise rock band Melt Banana and Norwegian black metal band Tsjuder.
May 22-24 at Edison parking lot, 545 N. High St., Baltimore Soundstage, 124 Market Place, and Ram’s Head Live, 20 Market Place, all in Baltimore. Tickets are $65 for a single day and $180 for 3-day passes at the door.
Jazz in the Garden
Concertgoers enjoy Jazz in the Garden among works of art in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden.
(Photo: National Gallery of Art)
There’s nothing better than free outdoor music on a warm summer night. Pack a picnic and enjoy the music. This week marks the return of Jazz in the Garden, a Washington institution that is turning 15 this year. A different jazz artist will be featured each Friday during the summer. You can bring your own food and non-alcoholic beverages, but beer, wine, sangria and mixed drinks must be purchased from the Pavilion Café. A special menu of appetizers, entrees and salads is also available at the café, while an outdoor grill will serve barbecue pork sandwiches, beef and chicken kabobs and chicken sausages. A gelato cart will also be available. Jazz guitarist Tom Lagana kicks off the festivities on Friday followed by vocalist Juanita Williams next week.
May 22 and every Friday through Aug. 28 from 5-8:30 p.m. at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, Seventh Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Admission is FREE!
Luce Unplugged Community Showcase
Concertgoers watch a band perform at a Luce Unplugged Community Showcase at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Luce Foundation Center. (Photo: Smithsonian American Art Museum)
The Luce Unplugged Community Showcase series presents acoustic sets from District-based bands in the middle of a museum. Friday’s show features psych-rock group Young Rapids and synth-pop outfit Pleasure Curses. As a bonus, Hellbender Brewing Co. will have beer for sampling.
May 22 from 6-8 p.m. at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Luce Foundation Center, Eighth and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!
National Memorial Day Concert
The program illuminates the night sky along the National Mall for last year’s National Memorial Day Concert. (Photo: PBS)
The 26th annual National Memorial Day Concert, held in support of veterans and active service members, will features performances from the National Symphony Orchestra and Gloria Estefan, among others. Actors Joe Mantegna and Gary Sinise co-host. Get there early to secure a good seat. Gates, which are located at the Southwest corner of the Capitol grounds, open at 5 p.m.
May 24 from 8-9:30 p.m. on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, 100 Constitution Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!
National Memorial Day Parade
Soldiers march past the White House in the 2013 National Memorial Day Parade. (Photo: American Veterans Center)
The National Memorial Day Parade was launched in 2005 by the American Veterans Center in Washington, D.C. It is the largest Memorial Day event in the nation. It steps off at the corner of Constitution Avenue and 7th Street NW and proceeds west down Constitution past the White House ending at 17th Street NW. Participants will pass by the nation’s monuments, museums and hundreds of thousands of spectators waving flags and cheering. The parade will include floats, high school marching bands, veterans, service members, local and national celebrities, service organizations and clubs, and much more! This year’s parade includes the veterans of World War II as the grand marshalls. Other participants include Gary Sinise, Joe Mantegna, Robert Irvine, The Smashing Pumpkins, Miss America 2015 Kira Kazantsev and American Idol 2014 winner Caleb Johnson.
May 25 at 2 p.m. beginning at the corner of Constitution Avenue and 7th Street NW. Admission is FREE!
Editor-in-Chief Mark Heckathorn is a journalist, movie buff and foodie. He oversees DC on Heels editorial operations as well as strategic planning and staff development. Reach him with story ideas or suggestions at dcoheditor (at) gmail (dot) com.
